Pages

Monday, September 21, 2015

#454 - Glenn Wilson

What a card: This is Glenn Wilson's first Topps flagship card as a Philadelphia Phillie. He's with the Phillies in the 1984 Topps Traded set. He was dealt from the Tigers in a trade that landed Detroit two key pieces for its '84 World Series title run -- Willie Hernandez and Dave Bergman.

My observation on the front: Wilson's got some weird thing going on with his fingers. Better get a grip on that bat, the ball's coming.

More opinion from me: This is right before Wilson started wearing the large '80s glasses. He doesn't look like Glenn Wilson without those glasses.

Something you might know: Wilson's best asset was his throwing arm, and he led the National League in outfield assists three straight years between 1985-87.

Something you might not know: Wilson opened a gas station, called "Hit and Run Exxon," in January 1989 in his native Texas and worked there in the winter, pumping gas and fixing cars. Wilson was still playing major league baseball at the time (for the Pirates) and he said then that when he retired he planned to work the gas station full-time. But the gas station gig didn't last.

My observation on the back: Baseball historians several years ago recalculated all of the runs scored in major league history and concluded that Bob Watson did not score MLB's one millionth run. (Who did is apparently a mystery).

-- The Hardball Times-- HighHeatStats.com-- Honolulu Star-Bulletin-- "If These Walls Could Talk, Los Angeles Dodgers" - Houston Mitchell--IMDb.com-- "Is This a Great Game or What?" - Tim Kurkijan-- the Ivy League